Automotive mechanism



n 1939- F. c. REILLY :1- AL 2,151,083

' AUTOMOTIVE MECHANISM Fil ed Oct. 5, 1935 4 Sh eets-Sheet 1 1N VEN TORS.

June 6, 1939. v F. c. REILLY EI'YAL 2,161,088

I AUTOMQTIVE MECHANISM Filed Oct s, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' ATTORNEYS.

June 6, 1939; F. c. R EILLY ET AL I AUTQMOTIVE MECHANISM Filed Oct. 3, .1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I WQYVNM VENTORS.

ATTORNEYS.

5 owl/M- June'-6, l93 9. F. c. REILLY Er AL 2 1 1 0 AUTOMQTIVE MECHANISM Filed Oct. 3, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ill/1% XTTORNEYS Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE White Plains,

N. Y., and Douglas F. Linsley,

Nor-walk, 0onn., assignors to Vaco Products, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application October 3, 1935, Serial No. 43,364

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to automotive vehicles and more particularly to a novel and improved automotive transmission including a power-operated clutch actuating and gear shifting mechanism.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth' in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities Figure-3 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view, L

with certain parts shown in section, of the clutch-controlling and actuating mechanism;

Figure 4 is a detailed plan view, with certain parts shown in section, of the power-operative means for shifting the transmission ears;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional v ew showing 'in detail the selector valve of the gear-shifting mechanism;

Figs. 5-A, 5-3, 5-0, 5-D and 5-15.. are fragmentary cross sections taken on the section lines A-A, B-B, CC, D-D and E-E of Fig. 5.

Figures 6 and '7 are detailed sectional views of the manual control means for the selector valve;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of clutch-actuating and controlling device.

Figure 10 is a detailed section taken on the line ill-40 of Figure 4.

The present-invention has for its object the provision of a new and improved power-operated transmission for automotive vehicles and including a power-operated gear shifting device and a power-operated clutch controlling, device. A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved-fluid pressure actuated clutch-controlling device in which both the engaging and disengaging of the clutch are easily and accurately controlled. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved'control for a power-actuated clutch insuring complete disengagement of the clutch 5 each time it is actuated. Another object is the provision of a control device by which the power actuation of the clutch and the gear selection for the power shifter are controlled by a single control device. The present invention also pro- 10 vides such a mechanism which is adapted to be energized by vacuum applied from the intake of the automotive engineand is easily controlled by means of a single control member located'ad- 6 jacent one or the other of the operator's feet.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the-invention as shown by the accompanying drawings, the embodiment of the invention is shown as applied to an automotive transmission having three forward and one reverse speeds and is adapted to be actuated by vacuum derived from the intake manifold of the automotive engine. As is usual, the internal combustion engine it) is adapted to drive a propeller shaft ll through a clutch ii, a selective joint I. A clutch pedal I5 is provided for operating the clutch, and the clutch may also be operated by means of a power cylinder adapted 3 to cause disengagement of the clutch.

The transmission unit l3 comprises the usual shiftable transmission gears which are moved into their respective speed positions by means of the gear shifting rods i1 and i8, slidably mounted in the transmission casing, and may be moved by suction in case of emergency by means of a shiftable gear transmission I3 and a universal second speed or forwardly to place the gears in third speed position.

' The details of the power means provided for moving the rods I1 and [8 to their several positions to shift the transmission gears form no part of the present invention, and in the illus- 5o trative embodiment vacuum operated pistons 25 and 26 are provided slidably mounted in their f respective double ended cylinders 21 and 28, one

at either side of the transmission casing, and

having their piston rods projecting through the ends of the cylinders and tightly, yet slidably, mounted therein.

At their rear ends the piston rods 29 and are connected to their respective rods l1 and I8 by means of levers 3| and 32 pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the plate 33 forming the cover for the transmission casing. Levers 3| and 32 are connected to the rods l1 and i8 by means of their forked ends 34 and the pins projecting upwardly to and anchored in the rods l1 and I8. Plate 33 is provided with slots (not shown) to allow for movement of the pins 35.

Means are provided for applying vacuum selectively and individually to the cylinders 21 and 28 as required to shift the gears from one position to another and this vacuum is advantageously derived from the intake manifold 40 of the engine 0, and is applied to the gear shifting mechanism through a main supply line 4| which is connected to the casing 42 surrounding the slidable selector valve body 43. As will be more fully described, this valve determining which of the cylinder ends is subjected to vacuum to move one or the other of the pistons 25 or 26 in one direction or the other. The selector valve has three positions: First speed or reverse, neutral, second speed and third speed, and may be moved from one or the other of its positions to any other positions to control the application of vacuum accordingly.

In its first speed position, the selector valve applies vacuum through line 50 to the rear face of piston 25, and this line is open from the selector valve to the cylinder 21 only when the piston 26 is in its neutral position, passing through the slide valve formed by the groove 5| in piston rod 30 where it passes through the boss 52 at the end of cylinder 28. Line 50 also passes through a reversing valve which will be described in connection with the reversing operation.

In its neutral position, the selector valve causes the application of vacuum from the manifold 40 to the lines 54 and 55 connected to the central portions of cylinders 21 and 28 respectively, and thereby tending to move both pistons to neutral position.

In second speed position, the selector .valve causes the application of vacuum to the line 51 and thereby to the forward side of piston 26 provided the piston 25 is in its central or neutral position so as to open the slide valve 58 formed on the end of piston rod 23.

In high or third speed position, vacuum is applied through line 60 to the rear side of the piston 26 to move it rearwardly.

The selector valve 43 (shown in first speed position in Fig. 5) is also provided with suitable venting apertures, so that the cylinders are vented as the corresponding pistons are moved. Thus when the piston 26 is moving from second speed position to third speed position by the application of suction to the rear face of piston 26, the forward portion of the cylinder 28 is vented to atmosphere so that no resistance is offered to the movement of the piston.

As shown in Figure 5, valve body 43 is formed with suction ports 30l, 303, 3l0, 330 and venting ports I60, 3|2, 322, 332, 333, the suction ports communicating'with the hollow interior 302 of the valve body 43 and through port 30| with the main vacuum line 4|. adapted to be selectively positioned in communication with the ports 304, 320, 33l, |6| corresponding to the lines 50, 54, 55, 51, 60 and 63,

while venting ports maybe similarly positioned The suction .ports are and in each valve position connect one or the other of the cylinder ports with a venting port in the valve body.

The operation of the selector valve may be described in greater detail, as follows:

With the selector valve in its extreme left position as shown in Figure 5, suction is applied to the main port 300, --through passageway 30| to the hollow interior 302 of valve 43, from which it'is applied through port 303 to the port 304 forming the end of port 50. Simultaneously, air is admitted from duct .308 through port I60 to port 301 forming the end of the reverse duct 63, and the difference in pressure thus established between the two faces of piston 25 causes the piston to move to its first speed position.

The selector valve is next moved by piston 10 through suction applied to it to the position where its left hand end is opposite the numeral "2 in Figure 5, and at this time suction is applied to ports 3l0 and l6l, which are then in register, and is thus applied to duct 51 serving to thereafter move the piston 26 to second speed position. During this movement air is admitted to the first speed end of the cylinder 21 and the third speed end of cylinder 28, through port 304 andventing port 3|2, this air being first admitted to the cylinder 21 through duct 50 and groove 5|, and thereafter to the cylinder 28 as soon as the piston 26 has been moved from neutral position.

When the operator next depresses the clutch pedal, the piston 10 and valve 43 are moved to third speed position, with the valve end 90 opposite the figure 3 in Figure 5. In this position, suction is applied directly from the right-hand end of passageway 30| to port 320 which is the end of duct 60, and the suction is thereby applied to the third speed end of cylinder 28. As the piston 26 moves, air is admitted to the other end of cylinder 28 through duct 51, groove 58, port |6| andport 322.

For shifting the gears to neutral position from first or reverse, the valve 43 is positioned in neutral with its end 90 opposite the letter N" in Figure 5. In this position, ports 330 and 33| are in register and suction is applied through port 330 to port 33| and thence to duct 55 which communicates with the central portion of both cylinders 21 and 28. During this movement air is admitted to the first speed end of the cylinder 21 through port 333 which is then in register with port 304 of duct 50, or if the reversing valve 62 is in reverse position, the reverse end of cylinder 21 is vented through venting ducts 50 and 63 and a suitable bridging groove in the reversing valve slide 62. Venting ports 50, 60', 54', 51' and 308' correspond respectively to the first speed duct 50, third speed duct 60, neutral duct 54, second speed duct 51, and reverse duct 308.

For moving piston 25 to reverse position, a separate reversing valve is provided which may be manually moved from forward to reverse position by means of the push wire control 6|. This reversing valve (shown in section in Figure 10) comprises a slide valve body 62 which can be moved forwardly and when so moved connects the first'speed line 50 with a line 63 communicating with the forward portion of cylinder 21 to apply vacuum to the forward side of 'the piston 25.

The various lines 50, 54, 55, 51 and 60 may conveniently be formed as 'ducts in the cover plate 33 and are so shown in the drawings.

Means are provided for controlling the application of vacuum to the gear shifter by the position of'the clutch, and for this purpose a master valve Ma is provided inthe line 4| between the intake manifold 48 and the gear shifter, this valve being positioned adjacent to the clutch pedal I5 and adapted to be opened only by movement of the clutch pedal to clutch disengaging position, thereby preventing shifting of the gears'while power is being transmitted through the transmission.

In the illustrated embodiment vacuum means are provided for urging the valveaway from its first speed position, as shown in Figure 5 towards second and third speed positions, and other means are provided for controlling this movement in accordance with a predetermined schedule so that the movement is controlled by other necessary operations, as for instance by disengagements of the clutch.

For this purpose, and as shown in Figure 5, the selector valve body 43 is connected at its right end to a piston 18 operating within a small cylinder 1| at the right hand end of the valve casing 42 applied, to move the valve body 48 and piston 18 to the right, through-a pipe 12 connected to the intake manifold 88 and under control of a'master control unit so that vacuum is applied when the vehicle is set in motion.

Spring means are provided for urging the valve body to the left, towards neutral or first speed position,

cylinder 1|. Movement of the valve body 88 is limited by means of a set screw 11 threaded into the valve casing 82 and operating in a groove 18 formed in the valve body 88, also serving to hold the valve body against rotation.

Means are also provided for retaining the valve in second speed position while accelerating until the gears have been meshed in second speed position, thereby preventing unintential skipping of second speed, and for this purpose valve body 48 Y .clutch is engaged: Latch 8| is provided with an upper notch-engaging member 8|", and with a lower notch-engaging member 8|". The clearance between 8| and 8| is a little greater than the diameter of valve 48. This permits the valve to slide. from one position to another as the latch is moved; when the latch is moved, the valve can go to third .speed and can also be held in second speed. When latch 8| r is fully withdrawn, the lower end 8| of the latch engages in groove 18 and holds the valve 48 against movement, in a position corresponding to second speed, until the clutch has'been reengaged. In order to go to third speed, the clutch operated to withdraw the upper latchengaging member iii? from its groove, but not 'sufiicient to engage the lower latch-engaging member 8| with its groove, whereupon the valve moves to the third speed position. The valveengaging end of latch 8| is beveled so that movement of the valve body 43 to the left, as on stopnd connected thereto. Vacuum may be and for this purpose a spring 18 is com pressed between the end of piston 18 and an adjusting screw 18 threaded into the end of the pine. is

Other means are provided for moving the valve away from its normal, or neutral position, for moving the valve body to second speed position from any of its other positions, as desired. As embodied, the valve body is hollow, and has fitted within it a rod 88 which is fixed to piston 18 at one end, and at its other end is headed to compress a spring 88 between the head and a shoulder 8-1 within the hollow part of the body 43, thereby permitting the valve body to move in one direction independently of the rod 85 and against the compression of spring 88.

Valve body 83 is formed with an enlarged head '88 having a socket 8| into which is fitted the rounded end 82 of a bell crank 83. Bell crank 88 is pivotally mounted and is normally held in the neutral position shown. When it is desired to move the valve to first speed position (extreme left). the clutch pedal I8 is depressed causing bell crank 83 and valve body 48 to be retracted. Bell crank 93 may be connected with the clutch lever 288' for operation by means of pull wire I88.

Other means including wire I85 are also provided for moving the selector valve to second speed po-- sition. Where the movement of the valve body 88 is from third to second speed position, the valve may move against the compression of spring 88, rather than against the more powerful suction exerted on piston 18.

Means are provided for moving the valve to second speed and then to third speed positions when the vehicle has been set in motion, and for this purpose means are provided for controlling the application of vacuum' to the piston 18. As embodied, there is provided a valve normally venting the line 12 when the vehicle is at rest, but causing suction to be applied thereto as soon as the vehicle has been set in motion or has attaineda speed of from two to four miles per hour. This valve comprises a valve body 8 in which is slidably mounted a valve plunger normally moved to venting position by means of a spring 2. Valve plunger III is provided with a vent H3 and a groove Ill, groove ill serving to connect lines 12 to line 18 which is, in turn; connected to the manifold 48. At one end of plunger is provided a pair of small pivotally mounted weights H5, eccentrically mounted on shaft 1 and formed with cam toes H6 to engage and more plunger As'soon as the vehicle has been set in motion, the centrifugal force of weights H5 overpowers spring 2 moving the plunger Hi to open position. Drive shaft 1 is driven by worm gear 8 meshing with a worm 8 on the propeller shaft H. A suitable casing and frame I28 is provided in which the shaft 1, weights 5 are mounted and lubricated.

The clutch actuating device cpmprises a piston 288 slidably mounted in a cylinder 28| positioned beneath the floor board'282 and connected to a clutch operating lever 288by means of link 284. Lever 288 and pedal l5 are coaxially mounted oh a shaft 206, lever :03 being fixed to the shaft, while pedal I5 is loosely mounted on the shaft and moves the shaft through set screw 281 and ledge 288.

As shown in Figure 3, the clutch actuating device is of the,type more fully described in the unimpeded, and may also be manually released, if desired.

and

oi the clutch engaging springto cause a cushion engagement of the clutch after which the reservoir tilt and vacuum side 2M oi the piston are vented to atmosphere to cause a full or driving.

larged button 230 projecting through the floor board and positioned closely adjacent to the clutch pedal i5. Button 236 is connected to the valve slide 233 which is formed with a venting port 233 and a connecting port 234. Venting port 233 is adapted to connect the clutch cylinder with atmosphere through port 235, while port 234 is adapted to connect the cylinder to the intake manifold to line 53. A spring 236 is provided for normally maintaining the valve in the position shown in Figure 3, and a detent m pivoted at 2 on the valve body is resiliently urged towards the lower end of the valve slide and into notch 242 by means of spring 2",, serving to hold the valve slide in its depressed position until released. The lower end of valve slide 232is connected to a wire cable 2l5'which is also connected to the valve-operating arm 248 so that movement of the valve slide also controls the operation of. valves 2l5and 2l8. Valves 2l5 and 2|8 are suitably connected for simultaneous operation.

Means are provided for releasing the detent 240 as the clutch is .iully disengaged, and for this purpose a'link 250 is pivotally mounted on the detent 240 and is'provided with an elongated slot 25i in which slides a pin 252 mounted on the end of lever 288, so that as the clutch is fully disengaged, link 258 is moved to release the detent 248.

In the operation of the clutch-actuating mechanism, the button 23l may be depressed slightly, causing movement'of the valve 2l5 and 216, to partially. disengage the clutch, while further movement of the button 28| will latch the valve slide 232 and hold it in clutch-disengaging position until the clutch is fully disengaged, whereupon the valve slide may return to" its original position, and this return may be regulated by the operators foot so as to give as slow a clutch engagement as may be desired. When the clutch-operating lever 203 is in fully disengagedposition, the main shifter valve a is held open by engagement with the clutch lever 203 to apply suction to the shifter, causing the gear to be shifted to the position determined by the position of the selector valve.

' Means are also associated with the clutch controlling device formoving the selector valve to second speed position, and as embodied the optional second speed control wire I05 is connected to a lever 288 pivotally mounted on the bracket 28! and projecting into the path of a pin 262 at the lower end of valve slide 232 so that upon extreme movement of the valve 232, lever 26!! is rocked by pin 262 on slide 232 to pull the selector valve to second speed position, and v upon disengagement of the clutch and opening of the main shifter control valve a, the gears are shifted to second speed, detent 240 is released,

aromas Referring now to the 'clutch actuating mechanism shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, means are provided for moving the clutch operating lever to any desired position under absolute control of the operator, the movement of the clutch actuating piston being proportional to. the movement of the clutch control button 23L As embodied, there is provided a cylinder 218 within which is a piston 21l, guided by means of a piston rod 212, which in turn is connected to the clutch lever 203 by means of the link 2M. Piston rod 212 passes through a boss 2" in one end wall of the cylinder which is fitted to the rod to prevent leakage.

Means are provided for controlling the application of vacuum or other fluid pressure. to the piston 21i,and for this purpose there is provided a rod-like valve slide 215 slidably mounted in apertures in the end walls of the cylinder 210, and adapted to be moved by and under control of the clutch button 23l through push wire 245. The valve slide 215 passes through an aperture 211 in the piston 21l, aperture 211 being alined with the-cylinder end wall )apertures. Valve slide 215 is provided with a longitudinal channel 2'l8 slightly longer than the thickness of the piston 2H and positioned so that it can form a passageway for fluid between the two sides of the piston 21!. Slide. 215 is also formed with ports 219 and 280, interconnected by means of a longitudinal duct 281, so that vacuum may be applied to the under side of piston 2" from the elongated port 282 formed in the cylinder end wall extension 283 which communicates with the vacuum line 53.

Means are also, provided for limiting relative movement of the valve slide 215 and piston 2H and for this purpose stops 285, 285'are provided on the slide 215, spaced slightly farther apart than the thickness of the piston 21i, and these stops also serve to limit movement of the valve slide with reference to the end walls of the cylinder. Stop 286 may be omitted for more rapid operation.

For preventing too sudden'engagement of the clutch even if the foot is suddenly removed from the clutch control button 23l, a regulable regulating the venting of the cylinder.

vent is provided of the upper end of the cylinder As embodied, there is provided a duct 281 in which is threaded a pointed screw 288 acting as a needlevalve toregulate the flow of fluid outof the upper half of the cylinder 218,and consequently the flow of fluid from the lower to the upper side of the piston 21i.

If desired, a return spring 298 may be provided for the piston rod 212.

In the operation of the modified form of clutch thereupon release the button 23l suddenly, or

preferably gradually, causing the pressure on opposite sides of the piston to be equalized by the flow of fluid through duct 218 while the upper half of cylinder 210 is vented through the reg-- ulable needle valve 288.

The invention in its broader 'aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What we claim is:

1. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch and transmission, the combination of a power cylinder for actuating the clutch, manual control means for energizing the cylinder and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for restoring the control means to a normal position.

2. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch and transmission, the combination of a power cylinder for actuating the clutch, a manual control for controlling disengagement of the clutch by said cylinder, a detent holding the control in disengaging position and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for releasing said detent.

3. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch and transmission, the combination of a fluid pressure actuator for the clutch, a manually operated valve for effecting disengagement of the clutch by said actuator, a detent holding the valve in disengaging position and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for releasing said valve.

4. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch, a shiftable gear transmission, fluid pressure means for shifting said gears and a clutch controlled valve for controlling the application of pressure to said shifting means, the combination of a power cylinder for actuating the clutch, a manual control for controlling disengagement of the clutch by said cylinder, a detent holding the control in disengaging position and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for releasing said clutch.

5. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch, a shiftable gear transmission, fluid pressure means for shifting said gears and a clutch controlled valve for controlling the application of pressure to said shifting means, the combination of a fluid pressure actuator for the clutch, a manually operated valve for effecting disengagement of the clutch by said actuator, a detent holding the valve in disengaging position and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for releasing said valve.

6. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch, a shiftable gear transmission, fluid pressure means for shifting 'said gears, the combination of fluid pressure means for operating said clutch, valve means for controlling the shifting of said gears to an intermediate speed, a manual control means controlling said clutch operating means and valve means, a detent holding said control means away from a normal position and means operated by the disengagement of the clutch for releasing said detent. I

7. In an automotive vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a clutch, a shiftable gear transmission, fluid pressure means for shifting said gears, the combination of fluid pressure means for operating said clutch, valve means for controlling the shifting of said gears to an intermediate speed, a manual control means controlling said clutch operating means and valve means, a valve controlling the application of pressure to the shifting means and opened by disengagement of the clutch, a detent holding said control means away from a normal position and means operated by the disengagement of the clutch for releasing said detent.

8. In an automotive vehicle, the combination of a clutch, a cylinder, a piston movable therein and connected to operate the clutch, a valve slidably mounted in the piston and controlling the application of fluid pressure to the piston for moving the piston to any position in the cylinder, a manual control for the valve, detent means for holding the manual control in clutch dis.- engaging position and means operated by disengagement of the clutch for releasing the detent.

FRANK C. REILLY.

PHILIP M. CARTER. DOUGLAS F. LINSLEY.

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